Cascading Tears
by Destroyer of Nations
Summary: When sadness courses through his body upon hearing of his best friend's untimely demise, Puck vows to become the man that he always could've been. The kind of man Finn always aspired to be.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with the product that is Glee. All rights belong to the Glee creators and network, and the only thing that belongs to me is the writing and storyline itself.**

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**A/N: I was never a big fan of the Finn character in the first two seasons, but I did start to like and develop a soft spot for him towards the end of season three when he set Rachel free so she could live out her own dreams. However, this has nothing to do with the übertalented performer that was Cory Monteith. I was more than saddened to hear about his death and departure from this world, regardless of the circumstances he died in. I think that at this point in time the press is focusing far too much on his (former) drug abuse. No young man should be torn away from his loved one's at such an age, and I can only imagine the grief those people are going through. Though I am not a religious man, my thoughts are with his family and friends in this horrible time of grief and pain.**

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**PS: One a lighter note, I know that it has been over four months since I have updated 'Last Ewing Standing' or 'Battle of the Lords', but I hope to update BOTL as soon as I get a hold of my beta. LES however will take a little while longer since I have no inspiration to write for it, but don't worry because I will update as soon as that inspiration kicks in again.**

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**_Cascading Tears_**

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_"Tears are the silent language of grief."_

_'Voltaire'_

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_City of Lima, State of Ohio, United States of America_

_Memorial Park Cemetery_

_July 20th, 2013_

Puck could hear the whispers surrounding Rachel as he inconspicuously followed her down the gravel road that connected the parking lot to Lima's Memorial Park Cemetery. The 19-year old community college student could still not believe the news despite the fact that he had just gone through a beautiful and extremely touching funeral service.

'Finn is dead.' Puck thought to himself, but he couldn't help the flinch that passed over his cool and calm visage. A flinch that was noticed by several people around him. He saw Santana raise her eyebrows in a questioning manner, and shook his head to show that he was alright. Looking around him, Puck made sure everyone's attention was once more averted before he lost himself to his inner musings.

'He is actually dead.' Since Puck and Finn has reconnected at college, the two had once more become best friends, and had been able to talk about everything that had occurred in the past. Puck had always felt guilty about how he had hurt a young man who had been his best friend and had stood by him through thick and thin for several years before Quinn Fabray had even come in to the picture. Though despite the guilt, Puck had never regretted his choice to sleep with the ethereal beautiful cheerleader. For the outcome that had become Beth was the single most amazing thing that had ever happened to him.

Puck could not begin to fathom what Carole and Rachel were going through. Though their grief was in several ways the same, in other ways it was so different. For one had lost a lover, the other had lost a son born from her body. A son that was the only tie left to a love lost far too soon.

He had actually been the first one to know what had happened to his best friend when the hospital called him with the news. Ever since the two had become roommates, they had made sure that they had also become each other's emergency contact in case of an unfortunate accident. Puck's mother - as a nurse - had always drilled it in him to make sure to choose someone you knew and trusted for that particular role. And for the two childhood best friends that position was filled by each other.

He had the unfortunate honor of calling his best friend's mother, and telling her that her son had been hit by a drunk driver, and had been dead on impact. He had to call Rachel, and Kurt. Every member of New Directions, past or present. Never had Puck been in as much agony as when he heard the heart-breaking sobs emitted by Rachel Berry. Never had he heard such a haunting sound coming from the beautiful and talented young woman.

After arriving at what would become Finn Hudson's burial site, Puck sat himself down behind Carole and Rachel to offer them his silent support. His late best friend's mother had always been one the people who were capable of understanding him the best.

Upon discovering Quinn's pregnancy, she had actually been one of the few people he confided in, and when Quinn's parents kicked her out, the kind and gracious woman still took her in despite the hurt it would cause her son when he discovered their betrayal. She had refused his offer of paying for her stay, and had treated Quinn with all the love she held in her heart.

Carole Hummel had become somewhat akin to a second mother to him, and he would do his darndest best to support her whatever it takes.

'I have been hanging around too much with Blaine, who the hell uses 'darndest'?' Puck thought to himself in a contemplating manner.

Minutes went by as the burial ceremony started and time slowly trickled away. Puck's thoughts were running away from him as he was lost in the precious memories he had of his best friend.

Sitting next to him was Quinn Fabray, ever since she had returned to Lima alongside Santana and Kurt, the two of them had been Rachel's rock. They had tried their best to be there when she cried or when she went through a bout of hysteric anger. They had done everything in their power to make sure that the girl knew that they would be there for her no matter what it took.

Only minutes before the funeral, Puck had broken down in Quinn's arms, and cried his eyes out. The had held each other close, and then they knew that nothing would ever be the same again. Not between him and Quinn, and not with Rachel.

Snapping Puck out his thoughts was the object of his affections. "The ceremony is over. If you want to say goodbye, you better do it now." Quinn softly whispered before placing a soft but lingering kiss on his lips.

Tears streaming down his face, Puck threw a beautiful white rose on his best friend's coffin that had already been lowered in to the ground, and softly whispered, "I'll win one for you. And when I do, I'll make sure they know why I did it."

_Six Years Later..._

"And the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role goes to... Noah Puckerman, Rise of the Giant." Deafening applause rang through the famed Dolby Theatre. It was a somewhat expected win, for Noah's performance was lauded as one of the greatest acting performances in recent history. Already he was being compared to acting legends like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro.

The lucky winner stood up, kissed his beautiful wife on the lips, and slowly made his way towards the stage. After exchanging pleasantries with the last year's winner, Noah Puckerman cleared his throat, and stood in front of the microphone with his first Oscar in his hands. "I just want to say beforehand that this is going to take a bit longer than forty-five seconds, but I sincerely hope not to bore all of you. I will get all the major thanking out-of-the-way however."

"I would like to thank the Academy for this great honor, my fellow cast members and 20th Century Fox for giving me this opportunity to shine and prove my worth. I would like to thank the Actor's Studio for nurturing me, and teaching me the fine craft of acting. My personal representatives and attorneys, I thank because they get all the paperwork out-of-the-way so I can do my thing, and am able to entertain the masses."

"But sadly enough that is only one side of the coin. You see... I am not a good man." Looking around the beautiful hall, Noah Puckerman could feel the tears cascading down his cheeks. "I am not a good man for I have openly whored, for I have openly drank, and for I have openly gambled."

Once more Noah's eyes scanned the hall, but this time he looked for a particular group of people. "I have broken more hearts than I would care to admit. I have hurt my loved one's - my friends, my family - far more than they deserved too. I have broken the sacred trust that amazing people had in me. I have destroyed relationships and even marriages for a few dollars to feed my family. I don't regret taking care of my family, but I do regret hurting other people to do so. However, I can now say that I have seen the light. I can say that I see the error in my past actions. For I have loved and I have lost."

"Almost ten years ago I slept with my best friend's girlfriend. A best friend who was more of a brother to me than a friend, and yet I broke his trust in me. Yes, seven years later I married that same girlfriend, but that does not excuse what I did." Finally finding the people he was looking for, Noah was glad to see the thumbs up from Rachel and Carole, and the beautiful smiles on their faces. Both women held a special place in his heart in very separate ways. One was seen as his second mother while the other was his best friend and greatest support.

Over the past few years, Quinn, Noah, and Rachel had become closer than ever. Despite all of her successes on Broadway, Rachel still lived with her best friends in an expensive top-floor penthouse owned by Noah. With Shelby living in NYC, the penthouse was filled almost daily with laughter from Beth, and this always brightened their day. Though Quinn and Noah had decided to not have any more children before they had both settled in their respective fields and careers, their lives were fulfilled. When they do decide to have any children however, it was already a fact that Rachel would be godmother to any future Puckerman's running around.

Though over the years, Rachel had tried to move on from her past relationship with Finn, she had been incapable of doing so. Many failed dates later, Rachel was still single, but not unhappily so. Puck knew however that one day there would be a man that would show her that despite all of the hurt and grief she still felt, it was okay to let go and be happy. Because that was exactly what Finn would have wanted for her.

"Despite everything, that best friend... that brother found it in his heart to forgive me. He forgave me, and told me that no matter what I did, he would always forgive me for that is what brother's do."

The 25-year old man formerly known to his friends and family as Puck was overcome with emotion and for the first time in years openly cried. "I have been forgiven by people who did not have to grace me with their forgiveness. I have been loved by people who should not have loved me, for I have hurt them more than I am proud off. I have been embraced by a select group of individuals who have stood by me through thick and thin. I thank all of them because you deserve the praise as much as I do."

"My mother, thank you because you are the best mother anyone can hope for. You worked three jobs to get food on the table after dad left,a nd I am grateful to be able to be called your son. My late nana for her support throughout the years. My brother and sister for simply being there."

Clearing his throat, Noah continued, "Shockingly, I would also like to thank my alcoholic dead-beat of a father because without him I wouldn't have stepped up and become a man who did everything to support his family. A man who had no qualms of selling his body to both men and women at only fifteen years of age because he wanted to give his little sister anything she wanted. You see, I made it dad. I made it despite you, and despite my mistakes." Noah held up his Oscar high in the air.

"New Directions." Pausing for a few seconds, Noah looked in Rachel's eyes and smiled. "My high school glee club. A ragtag group of young men and women who believed that they had the god given talent to perform. And boy did we perform. We showed our school that it does not matter what colour of skin you have, we showed them that it doesn't matter whether you're a member of the AV Club or a star quarterback. We showed them that it did not matter what religion you had, or what sexuality. You see, we showed them that we are people. As simple as that. We are all people."

"Q, my soul-mate, and the love of my life. You are everything to me, and I hope you realise that. I would go to hell and back for you if necessary." Clearing his throat, Noah continued once more, "Beth, my little princess. I am doing all of this for you. I am doing this so you can have everything your little heart desires. I love you, baby."

With tears streaming down his face, Noah thanked his last person. "And Finn. You are no longer here, my brother, but believe me when I say that we think about you every day. You told me once that you wanted to win an Oscar one day - you can't do it anymore - so this one is for you. Thank you, and we love you." Pumping his hand and Oscar in the air once more, Noah made his way down the stage amidst a standing ovation, and instead of seating himself in the front row next to his wife, he blew a kiss towards her, pried his bow tie loose, and walked straight out of the room.

Making his way out of the theater, Noah Puckerman walked down the red carpet - with cameras flashing all around him - and on to the streets of Los Angeles with his Oscar in hand. Singing loudly, the famed actor attracted the attention of the people around him with his smooth baritone voice.

'Glory days well they'll pass you by,  
Glory days in the wink of a young girl's eye,  
Glory days, glory days.'

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_"Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them."_

_'George Eliot'_

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**I hope that I made this a classy way of saying goodbye, and sincerely hope I have not offended anyone. **

**PS: Please R&R!**


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